HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — The Henry County Sheriff’s Office suspended its chief deputy for one week without pay after he was caught speeding 96 mph in a 35 mph zone.
Channel 2 Action News obtained body camera footage of the traffic stop and a citation report that shows only a warning issued to Chief Deputy Michael Yarbrough.
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On June 20, an officer clocked Yarbrough speeding on Chambers Road, which is only two lanes, with another sheriff’s office employee in the passenger seat. Body camera footage shows the officer making a quick call.
“Guess who I just pulled over?”
“Who?”
“Yarbrough ... Yeah, the chief deputy driving a souped-up Dodge Charger that belongs to the sheriff’s office. I just clocked this (sic) at 96 in a 35.”
The officer made the call to ask whether or not to write Yarbrough a citation. The voice on the other line said it was the officer’s call.
“OK, well, you know, I don’t care for him, so I’m gonna write his (sic).”
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The officer returns to the car and hands over the paperwork to Yarbrough for him to sign and tells him he has a court date.
“Please slow down and have a safe day.”
Georgia does have a super speeder law. Under it, super speeders are ticketed for traveling 75 mph or faster on a two-lane road or 85 mph or faster on highways. It adds a $200 fine to a ticket.
The citation only states a “warning” and does not have a $200 fine on it. It does state that Yarbrough must appear in court.
Henry County Sheriff Reginald Scandrett issued the following statement:
“Chief Deputy Michael Yarbrough reported to me that he was issued a citation for speeding immediately after the traffic stop occurred. Any questions related to the citation itself should be directed to the Henry County Police Department. After reviewing the facts of the incident, I suspended the Chief Deputy for forty hours without pay due to the severity of the traffic citation.”
Channel 2 Action News contacted the Henry County Police Department about why it wasn’t a super speeder citation but has not heard back.
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